The Pantry of Broward is seeking the public's help keeping its shelves stocked to serve some of the county's neediest residents. The nonprofit organization's food bank provides 20,000 pounds of food each month to help seniors and grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. The group is asking local families to donate canned and nonperishable foods to fulfill its mission. "We feed more than 900 mouths each month," said the group's CEO, Penny Loughan. "Community food drives… will help avoid cutting the Pantry's referral and education programs that protect and empower the elderly and children who are the Pantry's family.

A dozen community garden plots are being offered to the public in Fort Lauderdale with only one condition - a portion of the harvest has to go to a nearby food pantry. Developer Gerry Scanlon recently bought the Church of the Intercession at 501 NW 17th St. and will be giving out available plots at its community garden at 9 a.m Saturday. All he's asking is for some of the crops to go to the food pantry that operates out of the church, so people receiving assistance get more than tin cans.

The WECARE food pantry at the Soref JCC in Plantation is busy preparing for the holiday of Thanksgiving by packaging food for needy families in Broward County and the Forster Family Kosher Food Pantry, a program of the Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service in South Palm Beach County is also aiding in the effort to feed the hungry with the help of residents in the Woodfield Country Club and Woodfield Hunt Club communities in Boca Raton ...

When Ryan Shnider, 12, of Wellington set out to raise money for The Pantry of Broward for his mitzvah project he just wanted to be able to provide as many people as possible with peanut butter and jelly. But he was able to do so much more when he partnered with several South Florida Whole Foods Markets including the one here in Wellington to host his PB&J Project on May 20. "You can see the sense of pride from what he has accomplished," Ryan's father, Steve Shnider, said.

The staff at Chiropractic USA of Plantation is not only looking out for people's backs, but their stomachs now as well. Until Dec. 23, the office is collecting canned food for the WECARE food pantry at the Soref Jewish Community Center. "I was very excited because at the time that she called me, our shelves were very bare," said Susan Baigelman, the WECARE program director. "We've given out a lot of food for Thanksgiving and we need a lot of help to restock our shelves. " Chiropractic USA of Plantation has a sister office located in Ocala, which is currently collecting coats for an interfaith emergency services organization.

Name: Florence Teisch Residence: Boca Raton Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y. Family: Late husband, Harold Teisch; daughter, Randi-Ellen Lehrhof; son, Mitchell Teisch; and four grandchildren Career: Opera singer Organization: The Boca West Community Charitable Foundation identifies and funds projects to assist children and their families at risk in south Palm Beach County . The foundation started in 2010 as a way for Boca West...

The Crime March that stomped through the Progresso Village neighborhood this past Friday, with hand-held posters, flashing lights and a whole lot of noise, was a joint enterprise organized by the Citizens Volunteer Corps and the Progresso Village Civic Association. Even the association's announcement of the walk early last week breathed fire. "We're mad as hell and we aren't going to take it any more!" wrote association president Doug Sterner. "We will let the criminal element know that we are fed up. Let's make some noise!"

T ropical Storm Isaac was a potent reminder. While relatively few South Floridians lost power, we all need to be prepared during hurricane season If you've never lost power in a storm, you might not know about the power of beans. Canned beans. Black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, green beans, pink beans, all kinds of beans. Mix them with bottled salad dressing — Italian or Greek — and you've got a meal. Add dried herbs, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, jarred olives and you've got magic.

Teen ambassadors will be out in Fort Lauderdale's Poinsettia Heights neighborhood on Saturday, collecting bags of donated food items for the Pantry of Broward, which provides food to area seniors raising grandchildren on fixed incomes. The high school and middle school students collected more than 10,000 pounds of nonperishable food items last year and hope to do the same this school year. Future collections are being planned in the city's Lake Ridge and Colee Hammock communities.

Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis is challenging every elected city official in Broward County to help fill the shelves of the Pantry of Broward. He's declared April "Fill the shelves at The Pantry of Broward Month," according to a city news release. And he plans to ask that other officials join the cause at this Thursday's meeting of the Broward League of Cities in Cooper City Hall. The Pantry of Broward, based in Fort Lauderdale, gives food to the elderly on low fixed incomes and to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

Ryan Shnider is spreading his love for peanut butter and jelly in a big way. With the help of Whole Foods Market stores in Broward and Palm Beach counties, the 12-year-old's Bar Mitzvah "PB&J Project" will raise money for local food bank, The Pantry of Broward. On Tuesday, 5 percent of net sales at the seven participating stores will go toward the nonprofit, which benefits seniors with low-fixed incomes. Participating Whole Foods stores will also sell $2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as part of Ryan's project.

Name: S. Buddy Harris, retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Age: 87 Residence: Boca Raton Birthplace: New York City Family: Wife, Phyllis Harris; sons, Robert, Richard and Kevin Harris; grandsons, Kyle and Cameron Harris; and great-grandson, Cayden Harris. Organization: Boca Helping Hands, whose mission is to provide compassionate service through food and assistance programs to instill dignity and break the cycle of dependence. The organization's programs include a food center that serves lunch and dinner, a pantry program, a resource center, a job mentoring program, a children's assistance program and more.

Standing on a recent Friday morning in the small room that is the WECARE Food Pantry, director Susan Baigelman talked about the growing number of individuals and families in Broward County who will need the agency's services. "We're anticipating an increase in need because of the $8 billion cut in food stamps over 10 years," Baigelman told visitors to the food pantry on the campus of the Soref JCC in Plantation. "Mazon, the Jewish response to hunger, says 850,000 people will be affected.

Name: Florence Teisch Residence: Boca Raton Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y. Family: Late husband, Harold Teisch; daughter, Randi-Ellen Lehrhof; son, Mitchell Teisch; and four grandchildren Career: Opera singer Organization: The Boca West Community Charitable Foundation identifies and funds projects to assist children and their families at risk in south Palm Beach County . The foundation started in 2010 as a way for Boca West...

Teen ambassadors will be out in Fort Lauderdale's Poinsettia Heights neighborhood on Saturday, collecting bags of donated food items for the Pantry of Broward, which provides food to area seniors raising grandchildren on fixed incomes. The high school and middle school students collected more than 10,000 pounds of nonperishable food items last year and hope to do the same this school year. Future collections are being planned in the city's Lake Ridge and Colee Hammock communities.

A new food bank is encouraging the needy to come over and shop. When the Jacobson Family Food Pantry opened in Delray Beach a year ago, staff estimated 30 people would choose its shopping service, in which clients arrive on site and choose 10 items, escorted by a volunteer. Each shopper also gets a free bag of fruits and vegetables and a kosher chicken. But they have been surprised to find 60 clients, who live on subsidized incomes, have been coming in for the personalized experience.

A food drive for the Pantry of Broward that Mayor Frank Ortis started a month ago will continue through May. So far, Pembroke Pines has collected 3,286 pounds of food for the pantry. That will feed about 60 households for a month, said a news release on the extended drive. The Pantry of Broward gives food to seniors who are either on a low fixed income, or are raising grandchildren. Seniors get one delivery per month of 55 pounds of food. Ortis wants other cities to run food drives.

OAKLAND PARK When her church's pantry received a donation of 16,000 pounds of food in May from a postal food drive, pastor Angela Hood saw it as a blessing. But when she checked the supply earlier this week, it was as if she had been cursed. "Almost all of our crates and our boxes were completely empty," said Hood, near tears. "I just kept thinking where is the food, what happened? I cried. I was so angry." Every Tuesday and Thursday, the volunteers at the pantry at New Life Worship Center Ministries handed out canned food, cereal and vegetables to as many as 500 poor and homeless people.

The day before Thanksgiving, hundreds of Broward residents braved the rain and lined up around the block at Hallandale Christian School to receive one of about 1,300 free turkeys and other food items. This marks the 22nd year that the Hallandale Food Pantry, the local Kiwanis Club, the Miami Marlins' Ayudan program and other volunteers have handed out a free meal to those in need. "It's very fulfilling to help people in need," said Vice Mayor Bill Julian as he handed out turkeys.

With South Florida's economy becoming stronger, more of us are on the move. Here are 7 ways to save, whether we are moving across town or country, according to Mike Sullivan, chief education officer for Take Charge America, a national nonprofit credit counseling agency. 1. Comparison shop on hiring a mover. Research three movers with the Better Business Bureau each carrying an A rating. Get estimates and compare. 2. Sell or Donate - The more you move, the more you will have to pay, especially if you're hiring a professional or renting a truck.